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Go Track

Weekly Goals​

  • Backend
    • Implement JWT-based auth in your Go API.
    • Learn middleware patterns for logging, auth, validation.
    • Introduce security basics: input validation, secure headers, basic rate limiting.
  • DSA
    • Continue with linked lists, queues/stacks.
  • Theory
    • Process vs thread, concurrency basics.

Use together with:

Weekly Overview Table​

DayFocus
1JWT/auth concepts & data model
2Auth implementation (login, protected routes)
3Middleware patterns (logging, auth, validation)
4Security basics (validation, secure headers)
5Basic rate limiting (in-memory)
6Integrate all into mini project
7Weekly review & mini mock (auth + security Q&A)

Day 1 – Auth Concepts & Data Model​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Concepts – 60–75 min)

    • Read about:
      • Authentication vs authorization.
      • Session vs JWT vs opaque tokens.
      • Password hashing (bcrypt in Go).

  • Block 2 (Design – 60 min)

    • Design user model: ID, Email, PasswordHash, Role.
    • Design auth endpoints:
      • POST /auth/register
      • POST /auth/login

  • Block 3 (DSA – 60 min)

    • 2–3 linked list or stack/queue problems.

  • Block 4 (Review – 30 min)

    • Summarize session vs JWT trade-offs.

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • Extra design (60 min):
      • Sketch token lifecycle.

Day 2 – Implement Auth (Login, Protected Routes)​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Implementation – 60–75 min)

    • Implement:
      • POST /auth/register (hash password with bcrypt).
      • POST /auth/login (verify credentials, issue JWT using golang-jwt/jwt).

  • Block 2 (Protected Routes – 60 min)

    • Implement middleware:
      • AuthMiddleware – validates JWT and attaches user to context.
    • Protect routes (e.g., POST /items).

  • Block 3 (DSA – 60 min)

    • 2–3 problems.

  • Block 4 (Review – 30 min)

    • Note how to move user data to real DB later.

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • Auth tests (60 min).

Day 3 – Middleware Patterns & Logging​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Concepts – 60–75 min)

    • Learn:
      • Request lifecycle.
      • Middleware for cross-cutting concerns.

  • Block 2 (Hands-On – 60 min)

    • Implement:
      • Logging middleware (method, path, status, duration).
      • Attach requestID to context.

  • Block 3 (DSA – 60 min)

    • 2–3 problems.

  • Block 4 (Review – 30 min)

    • Draw request pipeline.
Client -> Logger -> Auth -> Validation -> Handler -> Service -> ...

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • Enhanced logging (60 min):
      • Support log levels.

Day 4 – Security Basics: Validation, Secure Headers​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Concepts – 60–75 min)

    • Learn:
      • Input validation and sanitization.
      • Common vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS).
      • Secure headers (CORS, CSP basics).

  • Block 2 (Hands-On – 60 min)

    • Add:
      • Validation to JSON payloads.
      • Secure headers middleware.

  • Block 3 (DSA – 60 min)

    • 2–3 problems.

  • Block 4 (Review – 30 min)

    • Note 3 security steps taken and 3 to add later.

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • Negative tests (60 min).

Day 5 – Basic Rate Limiting (In-Memory)​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Concepts – 60–75 min)

    • Read:
      • Rate limiting strategies: fixed window, sliding window, token bucket.
    • Implement simplest approach (fixed window).

  • Block 2 (Hands-On – 60 min)

    • Implement middleware:
      • Limit requests per IP to N per minute (in-memory map with sync.Mutex).

  • Block 3 (DSA – 60 min)

    • Sliding window problems.

  • Block 4 (Review – 30 min)

    • Note limitations of in-memory rate limiting.

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • Extension (60 min):
      • Different limits for different routes.

Day 6 – Integrate Auth, Logging, Rate Limiting​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Integration – 90 min)

    • Integrate:
      • Auth, logging, validation, rate limiting.
    • Ensure middleware order is correct.

  • Block 2 (Manual Testing – 60 min)

    • Use curl/Postman:
      • Test protected vs unprotected routes.
      • Trigger rate limit.

  • Block 3 (Review – 30–45 min)

    • Document in README.

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • E2E tests (60 min).

Day 7 – Weekly Review & Mini Mock (Auth + Security)​

4-Hour Plan​

  • Block 1 (Review – 60–75 min)

    • Revisit:
      • Auth implementation.
      • Logging and rate limiting.
    • Update skill gap template.

  • Block 2 (Mock Q&A – 60 min)

    • Practice answering:
      • "How would you implement auth in a Go API?"
      • "How would you secure an HTTP endpoint?"
      • "What is rate limiting and why is it important?"

  • Block 3 (DSA – 45–60 min)

    • 2–3 mixed problems.

6-Hour Plan​

  • Add:
    • Reflection (45–60 min):
      • What would you change for production?